Gaming system

Abstract

A gaming system is disclosed which includes a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device being arranged to implement a game. The gaming system includes a communications network arranged to connect the gaming devices in networked relationship, and a parameter repository arranged to store gaming device parameters. The gaming system is arranged to facilitate access to the parameter repository and modification of the gaming device parameters from a gaming device.

1 . A gaming system comprising:
 a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device being arranged to implement a game;   a communications network arranged to connect the gaming devices in networked relationship; and   a parameter repository arranged to store gaming device parameters;   the gaming system being arranged to facilitate access to the parameter repository and modification of the gaming device parameters from a gaming device.   
   
   
       2 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein gaming device parameters associated with at least one gaming device are stored remotely relative to the gaming device and accessible through the communications network. 
   
   
       3 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 2 , comprising a remote base station arranged to store gaming device parameters, the remote base station comprising data indicative of at least one game and a game server arranged to serve data indicative of a game to a gaming device for implementation at the gaming device. 
   
   
       4 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one gaming device is arranged to store gaming device parameters. 
   
   
       5 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the gaming device parameters stored at a gaming device are associated only with the gaming device. 
   
   
       6 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the gaming device parameters stored at a gaming device are associated with a plurality of gaming devices. 
   
   
       7 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the gaming system is arranged to facilitate access to the parameter repository from at least one dedicated gaming device. 
   
   
       8 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the gaming system is arranged to facilitate access to the parameter repository from any one of the plurality of gaming devices. 
   
   
       9 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising an authorization device arranged to permit access to the game parameters by a person only when the identity of the person has been verified. 
   
   
       10 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the authorization device is arranged to receive an authorization code from a person, to compare the authorization code with a reference authorization code, and to permit access to the game parameters if the entered authorization code and the reference authorization code match. 
   
   
       11 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the gaming system comprises an identification device reader and the reference authorisation code is stored on an identification device, the identification device reader being arranged to extract the authorization code from the identification device when the identification device is in communication with the identification device reader. 
   
   
       12 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the gaming device parameters include speaker volume; allowable bill denominations receivable by a bill acceptor of the gaming device; status of the gaming device; and/or opening hours associated with the gaming venue. 
   
   
       13 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the gaming system is arranged to facilitate access to the parameter repository from a remote location through the Internet. 
   
   
       14 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one gaming device comprises a gaming machine. 
   
   
       15 . A gaming system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one gaming device comprises a gaming terminal arranged to implement a game in association with a gaming server. 
   
   
       16 . A gaming device arranged to implement a game, the gaming device being arranged to facilitate access to at least one parameter repository arranged to store gaming device parameters associated with at least one respective gaming device, and to facilitate modification of the gaming device parameters from the gaming device. 
   
   
       17 . A gaming device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the gaming device is arranged to communicate with a remote base station arranged to store the gaming device parameters, and to facilitate modification of the gaming device parameters stored in the remote base station. 
   
   
       18 . A gaming device as claimed in  claim 16 , comprising a parameter repository arranged to store gaming device parameters at the gaming device. 
   
   
       19 . A gaming device as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the gaming device parameters stored in the parameter repository are associated only with the gaming device. 
   
   
       20 . A gaming device as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the gaming device parameters stored in the parameter repository are associated with a plurality of gaming devices. 
   
   
       21 . A gaming device as claimed in  claim 16 , comprising an authorization device arranged to permit access to the game parameters by a person only when the identity of the person has been verified. 
   
   
       22 . A gaming device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the gaming device parameters include speaker volume; allowable bill denominations receivable by a bill acceptor of the gaming device; status of the gaming device; and/or opening hours associated with the gaming venue. 
   
   
       23 . A method of managing gaming device parameters comprising:
 providing a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device being arranged to implement a game;   connecting the gaming devices in networked relationship;   storing gaming device parameters for a plurality of gaming devices; and   facilitating access to the gaming device parameters and modification of the gaming device parameters from a gaming device.   
   
   
       24 . A method as claimed in  claim 23 , comprising storing gaming device parameters associated with at least one gaming device remotely relative to the gaming device. 
   
   
       25 . A method as claimed in  claim 24 , comprising storing gaming device parameters at a remote base station, the remote base station comprising data indicative of at least one game and a game server arranged to serve data indicative of a game to a gaming device for implementation at the gaming device. 
   
   
       26 . A method as claimed in  claim 23 , comprising storing gaming device parameters at a gaming device. 
   
   
       27 . A method as claimed in  claim 26 , comprising storing gaming device parameters associated only with the gaming device at a gaming device. 
   
   
       28 . A method as claimed in  claim 26 , comprising storing gaming device parameters associated with a plurality of gaming devices at a gaming device. 
   
   
       29 . A method as claimed in  claim 23 , comprising facilitating access to the parameter repository from at least one dedicated gaming device. 
   
   
       30 . A method as claimed in  claim 23 , comprising facilitating access to the parameter repository from any one of the plurality of gaming devices. 
   
   
       31 . A method as claimed in  claim 23 , comprising permitting access to the game parameters by a person only when the identity of the person has been verified. 
   
   
       32 . A method as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the gaming device parameters include speaker volume; allowable bill denominations receivable by a bill acceptor of the gaming device; status of the gaming device; and/or opening hours associated with the gaming venue. 
   
   
       33 . A method as claimed in  claim 23 , comprising facilitating access to the parameter repository from a remote location through the Internet. 
   
   
       34 . An article of manufacture comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium; and   executable program instructions embodied in the computer readable storage medium that when executed by programmable system cause the system to perform functions that implement a method of managing gaming device parameters comprising:   providing a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device being arranged to implement a game;   connecting the gaming devices in networked relationship;   storing gaming device parameters for a plurality of gaming devices; and   facilitating access to the gaming device parameters and modification of the gaming device parameters from a gaming device.